How to export a Modrinth modpack (.mrpack)

You built a pack in the Modrinth App and want to share it, back it up, or move it to another launcher? Exporting hands you a single .mrpack file — here's exactly how.

Updated 2026-10-12 4 min read

Export from the Modrinth App

The Modrinth App (desktop) can turn any of your instances into a shareable pack. One export gives you one .mrpack file that contains the pack index and all overrides:

  1. Open your instance in the Modrinth App.
  2. Go to the Mods tab of the instance.
  3. Click Export modpack in the top-right corner.
  4. Choose a save location and file name — the export runs and a .mrpack appears.
The export contains modrinth.index.json and your overrides — not the mod .jar files themselves. Mods are resolved (and hash-checked) when someone imports the pack, which is exactly why the file stays small.

Where the exported file goes

The save dialog lets you pick any folder — many people use Downloads or a dedicated modpacks folder. The default file name is your instance's name. That file is self-contained: send it over Discord, attach it to a GitHub release, or upload it as a private file host link.

Sharing and versioning your export

Treat the .mrpack like a release artifact: keep one file per version and name it accordingly — MyPack-1.4.0.mrpack. Launchers read the pack name and versionId straight from modrinth.index.json at import time, so consistent naming saves everyone confusion later.

Changed mods or configs? Export again — the new file carries the updated index and overrides automatically. If you share the pack publicly, publish it as a new version on modrinth.com: subscribers get an update notification instead of having to re-import a brand-new pack.

Downloading packs from the Modrinth website

Don't build packs yourself? Every modpack listed on modrinth.com/modpacks has a Download button. The downloaded .mrpack is the exact same format the App exports — install it in any Modrinth-aware launcher, no extra export step needed.

Want your own pack listed there? The Creator dashboard accepts the same .mrpack and turns it into a project page with versions, changelogs and analytics. A public Modrinth page is a far better long-term home for a pack than a chat attachment — search traffic and update notifications included.

Using the exported .mrpack

Launchers with native Modrinth support — the Modrinth App itself, Prism Launcher, ATLauncher, GDLauncher and HMCL — import the file directly and install every mod from the index. For launchers without .mrpack support (the vanilla launcher, Technic, upstream MultiMC), convert the pack to ZIP first with our free converter, then follow the install guide.

Sharing outside the Modrinth world works too: the .mrpack opens in Prism and HMCL on every desktop OS, and the same converter turns it into a plain ZIP — with every verified .jar inside when you need a self-contained file for backups or manual server setups.

Common questions

Why is my exported .mrpack so small?
Because it references mods instead of embedding them. A 200-mod pack can export to a few hundred kilobytes; the actual mods (often 1–2 GB) are fetched from Modrinth's CDN at import time and verified by hash.
Can I edit a .mrpack file?
Yes — it's a plain ZIP. Rename a copy to .zip, extract, edit the overrides/ folder or the index, zip it back up and restore the .mrpack extension. Just keep the JSON valid.
Does the export include the mods themselves?
No. Only the index and overrides. That's by design — it keeps packs small and makes sure everyone gets the exact, hash-verified mod versions.
Can I export a .mrpack from Prism Launcher or other launchers?
Yes. Prism Launcher and ATLauncher can export instances in Modrinth format: in Prism, right-click the instance → Export Instance → choose Modrinth. The file they produce is the same .mrpack the Modrinth App writes, so everything in this guide applies to it too.
My export is missing configs or shader packs — why?
The export includes what the launcher knows about, but files stored outside the instance (or added after the last launch) can get skipped. Open the .mrpack as a ZIP and check overrides/; if something is missing, copy it into the instance's folder and export again.
How do I include the mod .jar files in my export?
You don't — the Modrinth export never embeds mods; that's the format's contract. If you need a self-contained file (offline install, archival), run the .mrpack through our converter with “Download mod files” enabled: the resulting ZIP contains every verified .jar.

Sources

Open the converter.mrpack ⇄ ZIP, right in your browser Install a .mrpackLauncher-by-launcher recipes CurseForge ⇄ ModrinthConvert packs across platforms